1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic badge making machine and more particularly an automatic badge maker employing a motor driven system for making a badge out of a plurality of badge parts placed in a die assembly of the machine.
2. Background of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. Nos. Des. 225,031, Des. 254,495, 3,643,530, 3,795,036, 4,299,019, 4,426,781 and 4,532,684 disclose manually actuated badge or button makers and die set assemblies used for making display badges out of badge parts placed in a die assembly. None of these patents, however, disclose a motor driven, automatic badge making machine wherein badges or buttons can be produced at a rapid rate in a safe and efficient manner by merely loading the badge parts into a die assembly and pushing a button.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved automatic badge making machine employing a motor driven system for moving die members of a die assembly to form a badge from badge parts placed in the die assembly.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved automatic badge making machine of a power operated type which requires little manual effort to make a badge.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved automatic badge maker of the character described which includes a unique safety system employing a protective safety cover for closing off a work area of the machine when the die assembly is operating to produce an assembled badge from a plurality of badge parts.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved automatic badge maker of the character described which includes a safety system for preventing operation of the badge maker dies unless the safety cover is in a work area enclosing position.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved automatic badge maker of the character described which includes a system for separating apart movable dies of a die assembly at any time excessive die forces are encountered between the dies during any portion of an operating cycle.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved automatic badge maker of the character described which is fast and efficient in operation, neat in appearance and relatively low in cost so as to enable badges or buttons to be produced rapidly on an economical basis.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the present invention are accomplished in a preferred illustrated embodiment comprising a new and improved automatic badge maker having first and second relatively movable die sets for consolidating badge parts placed therein into a finished button or badge. Motor driven means is provided for relatively moving the die sets in an operating cycle comprising a plurality of successive strokes toward and away from one another to form a completed badge from individual badge parts placed between facing surfaces of the die sets. A safety cover is provided for enclosing a work area around the die assembly so that the possibility of injury to persons and or objects in the vicinity of the moving dies is minimized. The safety cover is movable between an open position for permitting access to the die sets and a closed position. Whenever the cover is not in the closed position the motor driven system is rendered inoperable for moving the die sets to make a badge.
The automatic badge maker also includes the system for automatically separating apart the movable die sets of the die assembly whenever excessive die forces are encountered during a badge making operation so that jammed or damaged badge parts can be readily removed and to prevent further damage to the badge maker.